Dispensing device



June 29,1943. M; i-LL R 2,323,233

nxsrnusme DEVICE I Filed April 17, 1941 will ' INVENTOR MORRIS MILLERWM/ ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATES DISPENSING DEVICEMorris Miller, Detroit, Mich,

assignor to Miller Laundry Machinery Company, Detroit, Mich,

a partnership Application April17, 1941, Serial No. 388,952 3 Claims.((1221-4 16) This invention relates to a dispenser or storage andsupplydevice, and in particular it relates to a storagedevice of the hoppertype in combination with means for regulating the dispensing movement ofstored material, and in combination with means positioning the hopperfor filling same.

7 In commercial laundries it is customary to sort various fabrics eitherbefore or after the laundry is washed. One application of a use of thepresent device in commercial laundries is to sort towels after they arewashed and dried. It is generally customary to provide a relativelylarge table or bench upon which piles of towels are assembled. From thispile the operator removes the towels one by one, inspects them, andeither stacks them to form a bundle or sets them aside to be furthertreated. Sorting towels in this manner usually requires relatively largetables which occupy valuablefloor area. Furthermore, the towels, whenplaced in a pile on the table, usually become scattered, making it bothdifiicult for theoperator to reach the towels, and increasing'the amountof manual labor.

According to my invention I provide a device in; the form of a hopperwhich may be inclined to-a position so that one of the principal sidesof the hopper rests in a horizontal plane at table Into this hopper maybe piled a subtop level. stantialquantity of towels amounting to severalhundred pounds. When so filled the hopper may be elevated manually to anupright position assisted by counterweights. The lower end of the hopperis spaced from the top of a table onto which the towelsdrop into anaccessible position from which the operator may conveniently withdrawthe towels, sort them, inspect them, or stack them in bundles.

Among-the objects of my invention are to provide in combination a devicewhich is capable of positioning towels in a readily accessible positionfor the operator; to provide a device which will-support a substantialquantity of towels; to provide a device which will retain a substantialquantity of towels and at the same time occupy a minimum floor area; toprovide a. supply device of the hopper type from which towels may beeasily removed therefrom, and to provide a towel supply device which iseasy to fill, simple in operation and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages will appear more fully in thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a towel supply to the hopper by cables2'2 operated device representing an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevationalview thereof;

Figure 3-is a side View, in section, taken along lines 5'5 of Figure 1and illustrating a hopper associated therewith in lowered position; and,

Figure4 is a side View, in section, taken along lines'5 5 of Figure 1and illustrating a hopper associated therewith in its normal uprightposition. Referring to the drawing and in particular to Figure 1', Ishow an embodiment of my invention which includes a structural frame 6in a rectangular iormation serving. as a table and provided withaplate'! forming the table top. Side plates Band Gattached. to thestructural frame-work 6 serve as enclosures for the sides of the tablestructure. A. vertically disposed plate l0 interposed between the endplates 8 and 9 functions as a partition while abottom plate ll plate l2(Fig. described, the

and back plates and frame work constitute a table-like. structure havingtwo enclosed bins,

open at the front end These bins merely serve of the table structure. asrepositories for materials which are sorted on top of the table struc-'fture..

A pair of vertical angles l3 and W'ard'from the rear edge of the tablestructure andare connected together at their upper ends by a horizontalmember l5. are. attached atthe corners bly. A structuralangle I1 ispositioned in a horizontal plane above the top of the table! and" isattached to the vertical members|3 and M.

A back plate l8 fills in the gap between the angle i1 and the top of'thetable plate 1. 1T0 the horizontalangle ll' is attached a hopper l9. bymeans of" a. pair of hinges 20. When the hopper is inits uprightpositionits back'suredgefof the table; The Widthslightlyless'than'theitotal width of the table.

' The hopper isimaintained initsnormal upright 2| attached overpulleysposition by means ofcounterweights 23 supported by brackets 24 attachedzontal member l5. Tubular guards vided within which the counterweights2| are vertically movable. These guards 25 are-held in place by brackets34 attached to the main structural frame 6. I.

The lower end of the hopper is open, and a. panel 26 provided withhinges 21 attached to the to the hori- 2) complete the enclosure; Asthusi l4 eiitend up Gusset plates 16. v of the structural;membersforincreasingthe rigidity of the assem- 25 are profront surfaceof the hopper l9 provides means for varying the size of the opening atthe lower end of the hopper. The panel 26 forms in effect a movableportion of the front surface of the hopper at the lower end of thehopper. To limit the outward movement of the panel 26, chains 28attached to the Sides of the hopper [9 are engageable with hook members29 extending from the panel 26. The chain provides means which willlimit outward movement of the panel 26, but will allow the panel to moveinto the same plan as the front surface of the hopper.

In order to swing the hopper into its lowered position, a handle 30 isprovided which connects with the upper portion of the hopper through aheavy cord 3! and a bracket 32. Side guards 33 extend vertically fromthe tabl top I and at the sides of the table to prevent materials, whichdrop through the hopper opening, from flowing over the sides of thetable. These plates 33 are spaced apart a sufficient distance so thatthe hopper may pass therebetween when it is swung into its loweredposition.

Inthe operation of the device, and as shown in Fig. 3, the operatorpulls the hopper to its lowered position at which point it offsets theweight of the counterbalance weights 2|. While in this convenientposition the operator fills the hopper with fabric materials, such astowels 35. Thereafter the operator pushes the hopper to the uprightposition as shown in Figure 4, whereupon the towels drop through thelower opening of the hopper onto the table top I and in a readilyacoessible position for withdrawal by the operator.

As shown in Figure 4, the opening at the lower end of the hopper isgreater than the distance from the top of the table to the bottom of thehopper whereat the hopper is hinged. It has been found this relationshipis desirable for the proper outlet distribution of the towels. Whileordinarily such a relationship would prevent the hopper from beinglowered to the position as shown in Figure 3, the fact that the panel 26is freely movable so that it may be aligned in the same plane as thefront surface of the hopper permits the hopper to be lowered to theposition illustrated. -As the hopper is brought to its lowered positionthe panel 26, engages the table top I and moves automatically inalignment with the front surface of the hopper.

. From the foregoing it is believed apparent that I have provided anovel and useful device for increasing the efliciency in commerciallaundries, and while I have shown and described a preferred embodimentof my stood that it is susceptible of those modifications which appearwithin the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

.Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protectby Letters'Patent is: 1'. In a device of the character describedincombination, a structural frame including a table top, a hopperpositioned above the table top and in spaced relation therefrom,structural members forming a vertical continuation of the tabletop atthe rear of the table top, hinged means'connecting the lower end of thehopper invention it is to be underwith the continuation structuralmembers at an elevation so that the front surface of the hopper will liein close parallel relation with the plane of the table top, said hopperhaving an opening at the bottom thereof, and a hinged panel forming apart of the front wall of the hopper adjacent the bottom opening, thedistance between the bottom of the hopper and the top of the table beingsuch that upon lowering the hopper to a horizontal position the saidhinged panel strikes the table top and is moved into alignment with thefront surface of the hopper wall, the transverse width of said openingbeing greater than the distance between the table top and the bottom ofthe hopper.

2. In a device of the character described in combination, a structuralframe including a ta ble top, a hopper positioned above the table topand inspaced relation therefrom, structural members forming a verticalcontinuation of the table top at the rear of the table top, hinged meansconnecting the lower end of the hopper with the continuation structuralmembers at an elevation so that the front surface of the hopper will liein close parallel relation with the plane of the table top, said hopperhaving an opening at the bottom thereof, a hinged panel forming a partof the front wall of the hopper adjacent the bottom opening, and meansfor limiting the outward movement of the panel while the panel is freelymovable so that the same will lie in the plane of the front surface ofthe hopper, the distance between the bottom of the hopper and the top ofth table being such that upon lowering the hopper to a horizontalposition the said hinged panel strikes the table top and is moved intoalignment with the front surface of the hopper wall, the-transversewidth of said opening being greater than the distance between th tabletop and the bottom of the hopper.

3. In a. device of the character described in combination, a structuralframe including a table top, a hopper positioned above the table top andin spaced relation therefrom, structural members forming a verticalcontinuation of the table top at the rear ofthe table top, hinged meansconmeeting the lower end of the hopper with the continuation structuralmember at an elevation so. that the front surface of the hopper will liein close parallel relation with the plane of the table top, said hopperhaving an opening at the bottom thereof, a hinged panel forming a partof the front wall of the hopper adjacent the bottom opening, andcounterbalancing means of sufficient weight to maintain the hopper in anormal vertical position but of insufficient weight to overcome theweight of the hopper when the hopper is moved to a horizontal position,the distance between the bottom of the hopper and the top ofthe .tablebeing such that upon lowering the hopper to a horizontal position thesaid hinged panel strikes the table top and is moved into alignment withthe front surface of the hopper wall, the transverse width of saidopening being greater than the distance between the table top and thebottom of the hopper.

' MORRIS MILLER.

